Harry Potter and the Sword of the Hero

HARRY POTTER AND THE SWORD OF THE HERO

Chapter 26 - Some Wounds Cut Too Deep

We are, each of us angels with only one wing;
and we can only fly by embracing one another.

-- Luciano de Crescenzo

Harry ambled over the small rise in the ground and Hagrid's cabin came into view. It was getting dark now and he wanted to talk to his friends. Some things needed to be discussed.

He saw the griffin and the chimera in their respective paddocks as he walked by. The chimera ignored him totally but the griffin seemed to appraise him and he swore that when he nodded it nodded back. Harry came to Hagrid's door and knocked hard. He heard the shuffling of the half giant inside and Harry took this moment to think about recent developments.

"I don't care about that, Harry," Ginny whispered, holding the ring as if it was something extremely precious. It was to her... and to Harry. "You're all I care about. To hell with V-Voldemort...."

Harry sighed. It wasn't that easy... was it? He was torn. On one hand was happiness with Ginny. Happiness he desperately needed, he desperately craved. On the other was the threat of the Dark Lord. An impossible choice. Be happy... or risk it all for that feeling. If Harry knew Ginny, which he did more than most people thought, she wouldn't give up easily. He admired that. It was one of the reasons he had admitted his love to her up on the tower.

Love he thought amazingly. How had it happened...? One minute he was so close to the edge, tiptoeing on the line between sanity and madness, and the next he was holding Ginny in his arms for dear life. It didn't make sense... but these things rarely did. Love was one of the emotions Harry had very little experience in. Growing up in its place he had contempt and bitterness. Nothing even resembling love. It was a relatively new emotion for him, but one he had unknowingly craved.

And to express that to Ginny. GINNY! The rest of the world may be closing in around him as the prophecy and war ruled his life almost every hour of every day, but she had been his relief. One brief moment on top of the Astronomy tower as the sun was setting in the distance. It had been perfect he thought, biting his bottom lip as he remembered Ginny's being there.

But where had the feelings come from? This was the one thought that Harry was stumped on. It had just happened. It had just happened as if it was the most natural thing in the world. It was like getting doused in cold water, a wake up. The past five years it had been growing, growing from her possession by Riddle. But the emotion had always been suppressed by unforseen circumstances. Too much had happened, he had, effectively, ignored her. Yet she was always there, a calming presence in the background. They had so much in common. They understood each other almost perfectly.

He and Ginny had been friends until her fourth year, Harry's fifth year. Then their friendship had started to become something more. It was more deep... she was with him at Christmas when his world was once again falling apart, she was there in the DA, she was there at the Department of Mysteries. She was always there, and love had been growing. They had become closer last year, and it had just hit Harry how close up on the Astronomy tower. More than he ever thought could be possible, for him anyway. They both had realised it, Ginny first... and from there it had just happened.

Technically it had been a slow process. It had taken years for the feelings to develop for him. But the feeling itself, love, had hit him hard and fast in one amazing instant up on the heights of the castle only minutes ago... and he was still reeling from the blow.

"'Arry," smiled Hagrid as he opened the door to his cabin. "Yer early."

Harry smiled slightly. "Didn't have to worry too much about training today," he replied and entered the cabin. "Hello, Fang." The great dog jumped up happily to great Harry.

"Ron and Hermione no' with yer?" asked Harry.

"No..." Harry said absently, thinking back to Ginny. "They'll probably be down in a minute, though. It's almost five."

"Aye," agreed Hagrid, busying himself with the teapot. "How are you, Harry?" he asked as Harry sat himself at the table.

Confused, angry, upset, in love, miserable...? "I'm fine, Hagrid."

"I 'spect yer are, Harry. Takes a lot ter get yer down..." Hagrid filled two cups with tea and placed a tray of rock cakes on the table.

Their conversation fell silent for a moment as Harry's thoughts flipped between happiness with Ginny, and an undeniable certainty that she could die for it. "How's Grawp?" Harry asked with a sigh, wanting to forget his troubles for a moment.

"Grawpy? He's fine," said Hagrid. "His English is coming along nicely. And the cen'aurs know ter leave 'im alone."

Harry and Hagrid's conversation past into lighter subjects and he congratulated him on becoming a griffin so quickly. Ten minutes after that Ron and Hermione did arrive, and Harry genuinely smiled as the two of them walked in, hand in hand.

The next hour was spent laughing and joking as Ron and Hermione relayed information from Moody's duelling classes and just talked as friends for once. Harry enjoyed listening to the many events he had missed now he wasn't taking regular lessons. In Transfiguration McGonagall had started to discern if any of them possessed the Animagus ability. It was at this point that Harry decided to tell his friends he was one. It may place them in danger, but they were already in danger. At least Voldemort couldn't get them at Hogwarts.

Needless to say when he told them, it didn't go down easily. First their was disbelief, followed by laughter, followed by confusion, and then finally a bruised acceptance.

"It's true," smiled Hagrid. "Saw 'im change me'self."

"Why didn't you tell us earlier you were training to become an Animagus, Harry?" asked Hermione, a hint of uneasiness in her voice.

"Because I haven't been training," Harry said. "Not really anyway. It was about October last year and McGonagall taught me a few things, but we needed a griffin to continue-"

"You're a griffin!" shouted Ron, nearly dropping his tea.

"That's why you have one, Hagrid," Hermione said in a moment of realisation as Hagrid nodded.

"Yeah anyway," continued Harry. "When I touched it yesterday morning it transformed me instantly, without training."

"How?" asked Hermione instantly. "That would be impossible."

"Apparently not," Harry said matter of fact. "I'll show you at the DA meeting tonight if you want."

"Excellent," smiled Hermione. "We have the new members coming in tonight."

****

Harry paced the Room of Requirement nervously, awaiting the arrival of the DA. He stared at the Marauder's Map in front of him and watched the dots of everyone move slowly away from the Great Hall. He had left dinner twenty minutes ago, so as to get everything ready. Also because Ginny kept casting furtive glances at him from down the table and Harry wasn't yet sure how to deal with that. He knew that that every time she looked at him though he felt an unidentifiable warmness in his chest.

God... Harry sighed, rubbing his bandaged hand. I can't afford this...

Five minutes later and the first members of the DA began to arrive. Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna all entered together, followed by Seamus and Dean, with Parvati and Lavender. Ginny flashed him a stunning smile and Harry, despite himself, offered a warm one back.

More and more people began to arrive then. Not just old members, but the new recruits as well. Harry had already required the room to be four times its usual size when Cho and Zacharias Smith entered. They were followed by a large group of Ravenclaw fifth, sixth, and seventh years. It took another ten minutes for everyone else to arrive and Harry couldn't help but stare as seven Slytherin fifth years came in last.

"Right," shouted Harry as everybody was finally seated on beanbags or small stools around the slightly larger than usual Defence Association training room. "Thank you all for coming once again." Harry paused here and looked around. He still found it hard to believe that people came here to learn from him. "As most of you know Hogsmeade was attacked two days ago and the first real battle of this war was fought."

"I'll say..." muttered someone from the back.

"Azkaban fortress was also broken open, and many Death Eaters rejoined Voldemort." Harry knew this would be met with absolute silence and a shiver from most at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "But do not be discouraged by this. Just as he has increased his numbers, so shall we."

Harry then produced a quill and long piece of parchment from within the pockets of his robes. It was the same quill and parchment that the DA members had signed last time, to prove that they were loyal. The eighty or so new members would have to do the same.

"Before I go any further I want to make it clear to those of you hoping to join tonight." Harry turned to face the sea of faces that mostly belonged to new members. "This is not a club for the weak of heart," he said with a deadly seriousness in his voice. "You are here to learn defensive and offensive spells capable of defending our school. It is not a game, this is real. Should the worst happen and Hogwart's becomes all that stands between Voldemort and victory, you will be called to fight."

Nervous glances were exchanged between the new members and some of the old ones seemed to reassure themselves why they were here. "That said," smiled Harry. "A new member must sign their name on this parchment, and swear loyalty to the DA. I will know if you're lying..." He stopped to stare at them all. "If for any reason," Harry began quietly, "you no longer feel up to this..."

Harry left it there and silently required the door to open. He waited a full minute and in that time not one person left. Harry looked over to his friends and saw Ginny twirling his ring she had taken on her thumb. She met his eyes briefly and he received so much from that one glance. It took Harry another minute to get back on track and when he did he slapped the parchment down on the desk in front of him and put the quill on top of it.

"Slytherins first," he said, somewhat shakily.

*****

Albus Dumbledore walked down the well trodden halls of the ancient International Confederation building, which was located on one of the unpopulated islands of Fiji. It stood alone around a long empty sea and was warded with every possible Muggle repelling charm known.

It was technically in neutral territory, as members from every country on the planet were present for every meeting it ever held. The last meeting held had been that morning, when Dumbledore had positioned the world to see the threat of Voldemort. Two of his most addiment supporters, the Gosteuax's, had died barely five hours after that. Dumbledore had called this emergency meeting of the International Council, because time was fast running out.

Every member of the International Confederation held a Portkey in their study that activated when another member called a meeting. It was always in the best interest of a member to attend these meetings, as world events were discussed here.

So it was no surprise to Dumbledore as he walked through amazingly large limestone doors that opened only to a member, that when he walked into the next room, the Grand Chamber, two thousand faces instantly fell on his. A second meeting in one day had been unheard of for fifty years. Only during the rise of Grindelwald and the Muggle War did the Confederation meet more than once a day. It was cause for concern to some.

Dumbledore climbed the stairs to his seat. The room was set out much like the Muggle House of Commons in London. Each seat was occupied by a member, or an ambassador, of their countries Ministry. Many countries had more than one ambassador present, some had up to a dozen. But unlike the House of Commons, each group here where there for their own interests, and that of their Ministry. It was a meeting of ambassadors from every Magical Ministry on the planet, not just the separate political forces of one country. It was a place where the future was decided.

As soon as Dumbledore reached his place the thousands in their seats grew quiet. Along with being an emergency Portkey, the device in a member's study also highlighted who had called the meeting. Many were disgruntled at being called out twice on the same day and just wanted to hear what Dumbledore wanted and then get back to their lives.

Albus Dumbledore folded his hands in front of him for a moment as all eyes and ears turned to him respectively. Many thought that Dumbledore looked a lot older than he had done so few hours ago, and became worried. It was well known that he was the most powerful wizard present. After a long, suspenseful moment, Dumbledore spoke.

"Good evening," he began, even though sunlight was magically provided at all hours by the enchanted ceiling. "Many of you are probably wondering why I have called this meeting. Hmm?"

A few disgruntled comments were heard around the entire chamber as Dumbledore's voice echoed magnificently to every corner of the room. "I have come to report, amongst other things, that the Member's Gosteuax have been murdered." This was met with an audible gasp and shouts of anger and disbelief, especially from the French representatives.

"No word has reached us of this, sir," the French Ambassador stated, rising from his seat.

"Nevertheless they are dead," Dumbledore countered solemnly. "Lord Voldemort," Several gasps were heard from those who knew the terror of the Dark Lord. "Lord Voldemort," continued Dumbledore, "is tightening his grip on the nation of France."

This was met with either ferocious nods from those who supported Dumbledore, or loud denials from those who thought the possibility of this absurd. Unfortunately, the latter was more numerous. Dumbledore sighed, he had expected this. Denial was always a lot more convenient than effort.

They were digging their own graves.

*****

Harry sighed with relief when the last of the Hufflepuffs signed the parchment without any green sparks to indicate betrayal. Everyone here meant what they had said; they were here to protect Hogwarts from Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

As the new members were signing the parchment, Harry had been counting them. It turned out that there were now one hundred and six members, including Harry. That was perfect for what he had planned and he realised Hermione and the others must have worked together with the recruiting, because if he didn't count his close group of friends, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna, there were now one hundred members even. There were even seven Slytherin members, which was more than Harry was expecting, seeing as how he was expecting none.

"Okay, it's great to see so many of you willing to take a stand," Harry said, pacing the now full DA group, consisting of old and new members alike. "We will begin training properly in about two week's time, after an armourer pays us a visit."

Furious whispers broke out among the assembled members, only Harry's close friends knew about this. "I guess things just got a whole lot more real," Harry smiled sadly to the sea of faces. "I hope you will never have to use it, but yes. A dragon armourer will be outfitting you."

"How much is that going to cost us?" asked a burly Ravenclaw seventh year. Several others now voiced this question.

Harry required a comfortable chair to sit down in in front of the group. It was a cushy armchair and as he sat he spoke. "Cost you? Nothing personally. It is all coming from the DA's budget, which, I can tell you, is two million galleons."

"TWO MILLION!" shouted Seamus, as everyone laughed at him. "Where did that come from?"

Harry smiled sadly. "You have Sirius Black to thank for the money. I know he'd want it to be spent fighting Voldemort..." A deep silence fell on the group as everyone watched the conflicting emotions pass over Harry's face. "And before anyone asks," Harry said sternly. "Sirius was innocent of all his crimes, but I'm not going to get into that story now."

*****

"You can no longer hide from the fact," called Dumbledore to the International Confederation. "If we do not unite soon, the United Kingdom will fall.... And all of you will be next," Dumbledore ended quietly.

There was, of course, tremendous denial to this, but not as much as there had been that morning. Death did that to people. The Gosteuax murders had rattled the council, they were a highly powerful witch and wizard. If this Dark wizard could get to them...

"To inspire this panic throughout our world is pointless," argued the American ambassador. "Did not this wizard fall to a mere baby once before?"

"He did," agreed Dumbledore reluctantly. He truly hated politics. "But that was under exceptional circumstances."

"I see no threat," argued the ambassador back. "If Britain has become so weak as to call on the world for help, then the more prominent question should be what fools are running your Ministry?" Laughs and shouts of anger met this comment and it took a moment for the room to quiet again.

"In response to your question, Member Johnson," Dumbledore addressed the American. "Britain has become a battle field. Our Ministry is strong, but failing. Such is the power of Lord Voldemort. All of you," Dumbledore's eyes swept over the entire congregation. "All of you will feel the sting of the Dark Lord before long."

"Where is the proof?" argued the Belgians. "How much power does this Voldemort wield?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Truth fears no questions..." he whispered to himself. "He wields a rare type of power... blood magic. He was resurrected with the blood of his sworn enemy, Harry Potter, and is fast becoming stronger. Over three hundred Dark Wizards have also joined his ranks and more do so every day. He is singularly the biggest threat facing our free world. If he is not stopped soon, the innocent will pay...."

"This Harry Potter," began the African ambassador. "He is the one that survived Avada Kedavra, is he not?"

The United Kingdom and most of Europe may know who Harry Potter was, but he wasn't that well known in countries below the equator, the Southern Hemisphere. Except for Australia, of course, as they were part of the Commonwealth and had already provided Aurors to the cause.

"Yes," said Dumbledore quickly. He didn't want Harry brought up and under too much scrutiny. "But this is not Mr. Potter's fight alone," Dumbledore announced to the chamber so that every member took notice. "As strong as our country is we are calling to you for help. Courage we have, but it is being exhausted by the terrors we face."

There was whispered deliberation between the two thousand members present as Dumbledore stood quietly. If he didn't succeed in winning them over today, there would be another chance, but not forever. Time was, quite severely, running out.

After a long minute of dark thoughts and talk, one of the members for America spoke. "The threat can be handled internally. We believe the United Kingdom is strong enough to face this without international help. To do so will cause panic we have been trying to avoid since the 1940's." This was met with many nods of agreement, too many.

Fools thought Dumbledore. They will regret this all too soon.... "As you do unto me, you do unto yourself...." Dumbledore sighed gravely, the meeting coming to an unhappy end.

*****

"Okay so from the next meeting on," Harry said to the DA, "from the next meeting on we will have five groups of twenty. Each group will be taught and supervised by either Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, or Luna. I have chosen these five because out of the one hundred here they are the only ones to have had experience fighting Death Eaters."

Harry paced the room in front of the Defence Association, looking from face to face. A glance at the clock told him it was coming up nine o'clock, time to wrap up the meeting. "Each group of twenty will learn a different aspect of defensive and offensive magic for a few lessons. Things like shield charms, hexes, and the Patronus charm will be learnt and then each group will switch to another task. In one month, I expect every group to have cycled through the process at least once."

"You expect us to be able to conjure a Patronus in a month?" exclaimed a fifth year Hufflepuff.

Harry turned to face her and she blushed under his gaze. "I expect you to do your best," he said after a moment. "Dementors will more than likely be a threat in the near future. It couldn't hurt to practice this charm outside of the meetings as well. I'm sure you can find an empty classroom."

"You don't seriously expect Hogwart's to be attacked, do you, Harry?" asked Padma Patil.

Harry offered her a small smile, one of friendship, but then his face turned deadly serious. "I don't know what to expect anymore," he said quietly, though everyone heard. "The war is coming. It is as simple as that. I have to kill Voldemort and by God I will," Harry rubbed the bandage on his hand as he said this, his blood oath, his promise to destroy Voldemort. "Hogwarts, if it comes to it, will be the last to fall... I hope it is over before it comes to that, though."

The DA meeting ended ten minutes later. Having been officially recognised by Dumbledore as an organisation to protect the school, Harry wanted to respect the nine o'clock curfew. One hundred students out after curfew would be frowned upon, and Snape would probably love the chance to have the club disbanded.

Harry and his friends had hung back because, as promised, Harry was going to transform into a griffin for them. Something he had been itching to do all evening. It felt good to have the power of flight in his body. So after everybody had left, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna, hung back in the room of requirement and Harry called them all over.

"Ready?" Harry asked, and then without waiting for an answer required the room to turn into the big training field he had used the past few days. His friends gasped as the stone and bean bags and the torch lit walls were replaced by a sunny, grass green field that was indistinguishable from the real thing.

"Wow," commented Ron, holding Hermione's hand.

"Let's see you transform, Harry," Ginny smiled warmly at him, a knowing glint in her eye. She had definitely already seen him do it once.

Harry looked at each of the expectant faces of his friends in turn. After taking a few steps back he felt around in his mind for the griffin connection. He found it instantly but didn't push it yet. He gave Ginny a sly smile first and then with a thought, his body was transformed.

Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna gasped loudly and Ron stumbled back in surprise. It had been instant. Where there was once Harry, now stood an impressive Griffin, different from the real griffin Hagrid held by his house. Harry was bigger, more impressive looking than the real thing.

Luna stared at him dreamily, tapping her chin while Hermione tentatively reached out a hand and touched his eagle forehead. Harry took a few steps forward and up to his friends, arching his head to see them better as he was slightly taller than them all. Ginny was watching him with a sad smile he noticed, and after a few moments he transformed back.

"That's amazing, Harry..." whispered Ron. "And it just happened?"

Harry nodded. "No idea how? I think the pure magic may have something to do with it, though..."

The room returned to its previous form and Harry sank back in a chair that appeared behind him, his friends doing the same. "So how was everyone's day?" he asked, his gaze lingering on Ginny for a long moment.

"Tiring," sighed Ron. "Snape wants five feet of parchment on the properties of Glaspeg claw by Monday."

Harry smiled. "I'm glad I don't have to worry about that git anymore."

The fireplace that one of them had required burned warmly a few feet away, casting their shadows against the wall. Neville laughed when Harry insulted Snape and rolled his wand around in his hands. "You really want us to teach, Harry?" he asked after a moment, nerves evident in his voice.

Harry nodded. "Course I do, Nev," he said strongly. "Ginny, Luna, and you can all teach different curses and hexes. Ron you can teach defensive spells because you can create a pretty strong shield charm, and Hermione you can teach a group the Patronus, as yours is the only corporeal one so far."

"I think, Neville," said Luna, "you will make an excellent teacher." Neville blushed and squeezed Luna's hand warmly.

****

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny walked back to the common room together, making little conversation as they hurried to get to the warmness of the fire. It was cold in the long, empty corridors and Harry felt sorry for Neville, who had walked Luna back to her common room, on the other side of the castle.

The four of them entered the common room just after ten o'clock and found it still fairly full with other Gryffindors. It was Friday so most wouldn't go to bed until much later, as it was the weekend and they could sleep in. Not Harry, though, he had training in the morning with Dermas. Still he decided to stay up with his friends anyway, and just talk for once. The past few days had been non stop. Jumping from Death Eater attacks to unpredictable magic to horrific visions. Yes, it had been a trying three days.

"Well I don't want to start Snape's essay now!" exclaimed Ron as Hermione subtly suggested it at the table closest to the fire.

"We could get it out of the way for the weekend," she offered, putting a hand on Ron's shoulder.

Ron smiled and put a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes. "No..." he said with a smile. "I'm too damn tired."

Harry smiled as he watched them 'argue'. It was certainly different than when they hadn't realised each others feelings. Then they were both at their throats, now it was more caring. A loving argument, for use of a better word.

Life in the common room whirled around Harry as he sat listening, more than talking, to his friends. Neville returned at one point but the minutes just began to blur for Harry as warm conversation fell around him. At one point he was falling asleep in an armchair by the fire talking to Dean, and did drop off for a few moments and when he snapped awake Dean had been replaced by Ginny.

Harry looked around quickly and saw Hermione had talked Ron into at least starting his essay over on their table and that there were only about a dozen people left in the room. He locked eyes with Ginny.

"How are you?" she asked gently, placing a hand on his knee, concern buried deep in her eyes.

Harry stared at her for a long moment, a feeling of warmth around his knee where she touched it. "Guess I fell asleep..." he said with a shrug.

Ginny saw the shadow behind his eyes, the horror. "What did you dream about?" she asked.

A quick flashback into his mind and Harry relived his dream in an instant. It was one of those ones where the world was surprisingly real, and he saw things he knew he shouldn't.

"There is a room in the Department of Mysteries," said Dumbledore, "that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has none at all. That power took you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests. In the end, it mattered not that you could not close your mind. It was your heart that saved you."

His vision blurred and it was replaced with a growing circle of light and awesome power. He saw into its depths as a thousand images flicked through its centre in quick succession. It felt to Harry as if he was looking through the radiating circle and beyond his world to another of unimaginable possibilities. A glimpse of the infinite of magic, a space of awesome size. It was breathtaking and... sickening.

A thousand horrific images flickered to life and died before Harry's eyes. He saw Cedric and Sirius fall. He saw Ethan die. He saw Voldemort murder and destroy, viciously, mercilessly. He saw humanity at its worst.

Ginny saw the shadow behind his eyes, the horror. "What did you dream about?" she asked.

Harry smiled sadly. "Nothing..." he whispered and then looked deep into her eyes. "I can't protect you," he said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

Harry looked away but Ginny took her hand in his. "You don't have to," she whispered, slipping his ring back onto his finger.

He looked back at her and both of their faces became a kaleidoscope of emotion. His eyes were drawn, inevitably, to her lips and then back up to her eyes. I can't he told himself... He'll come... he'll target her... he reasoned. She's already a target by association....

"It is too much to deal with, Ginny," Harry whispered, not letting go of her hand. "Up on the tower earlier... it was like nothing made sense anymore." Harry gazed deep into the fire, the flames reflected green in his eyes. "The things that I thought I understood were gone. I felt so alone... but at the same time you were there..."

"What are you saying, Harry?" Ginny asked, her foot brushing his as she leaned further over from her armchair.

"I don't know....?" he shrugged matter of fact, his voice a distant whisper. "Love... it's all new to me...."

Ginny nearly reached out and hugged him then, but she was self conscious of the people still in the common room, at least of Ron and Hermione. Too many questions would be raised, and she knew Harry was trying to avoid that. "Why are you fighting it then?" she asked gently.

Harry thought deeply and agonisingly for a moment. "Because... I'd rather not have it, if it could get you killed."

"What if it's worth it, though?" questioned Ginny. "What if it is more important than life or death?"

It was your heart that saved you....

Harry sighed for a moment in thought. "You shouldn't have to worry about me," he said slowly, rubbing his itching scar. "Please don't...."

Neither can live while the other survives....

Ginny would not be deterred, though. "You can't live your life alone, Harry. Too much is happening. You need to talk to someone, someone who cares. The pain will destroy you otherwise...."

Harry looked at her with a slight frown, as if a great battle of wills was clashing in his mind. To Ginny he looked confused, but after a moment his face resolved back into that calm, neutral look he usually wore. "I don't want you to hear what I could say," Harry replied. "My nightmares are best left untold."

"It can't be that bad, Harry," Ginny whispered earnestly, "that you need to shut the whole world out."

Harry just smiled sadly, and turned to look at the fire, as the final embers slowly died out.

****

Harry was up early the next morning, as he always was, and was quickly down the castle floors to the Entrance Hall for his training with Siamus Scrapfold and Dermas. They exercised together for two hours and Harry was happy to see that after the few weeks he had been doing this, his running was a lot easier than it had been.

After exercise with Siamus, he and Dermas moved onto sword training. Harry had learned a lot in the brutal training that Trask had put him under the past month and was actually surprised when he managed to strike a blow at Dermas. Dermas blocked it quickly of course, but it was the first Harry had ever managed to do that almost knocked his trainer off guard.

The snow around the castle was still shin deep on the ground in some places but it probably wouldn't snow again now the climate was coming out of winter. It was still fairly cold, but Harry and Dermas no longer needed to light their fire in the ground, as they were warm enough from their training.

"You seem distracted today, Harry," Trask breathed as he and Harry took a break, sitting on a wooden log. "What's the matter? Girl trouble?"

Harry blinked and fell out of his thoughts about Ginny. "Something like that..." he replied to Dermas and picked up his training stick. "Ready to go again?"

"You don't want to talk then?" Dermas was nothing if he wasn't full on. No beating around the bush for him.

Harry thought for a moment and looked at Dermas, thinking about it. "People who get close to me die," he said with an edge of bitterness in his voice.

"Yet they still get close to you," Trask mused, raising an eyebrow. "If someone is willing to take the risk, Harry, you shouldn't let them slip away... it may never happen again..."

Harry twirled his stick around absently, not replying. "Come on," Dermas said reassuringly after a moment, picking up his own stick. "On your guard!"

Harry saw his friends again at lunch and they talked happily about the weekend. He couldn't stay however, as he had a lesson with Thomas Fright, his offensive and defensive magic teacher at one o'clock and was soon learning a few nasty curses, other than the ones he had taken it upon himself to learn in the room of requirement. They were just as nasty, though.

After that he had Charms and Healing with Grace Arnair. He learnt a useful charm that was really a branch of Transfiguration. He learned how to animate small objects, such as a tiny statue. It was similar to what Dumbledore had done in his duel with Voldemort at the Department of Mysteries, animating the Fountain of Magical Brethren, but on a much smaller scale. It would take a lot of practice if Harry wanted to get to Dumbledore's level.

Finally, for that day, Harry had Magical Tuning with Rose Appleton. He managed to bend a spoon with just a thought and he could levitate any object up to and including the weight of a cauldron, with just a thought. He was progressing magnificently, but all the effort he had put into today quickly caught up to him later that night, and he was first to go up to bed that night, thankful that he got a break tomorrow. As sleep took him and Harry finally pulled the red drapes around his bed, he last saw a glimpse of the night sky, and the planet of War, Mars, burning slowly overhead.

REBUILDING BEGINS

By Ian Lyterman

Following the devastating attacks on our fair village of Hogsmeade last Wednesday, construction and rebuilding of the town has begun after the clean up and mass funeral service held Saturday morning. The largest battle fought between Aurors and Death Eaters left the village decimated, and the High Street in smouldering ruins.

If it wasn't for the heroic efforts of our Auror squads, some staff from Hogwarts, and Harry Potter, then the village may not be standing at all. In fact, some eye witnesses claim that Harry Potter duelled with the Dark Lord and the ferocity of their duel caused much of the damage to the surrounding area.

The world is now familiar with the Prophecy concerning You-Know-Who and the junior wizard, Mr. Potter. If the recent attack at Hogsmeade taught us one thing, it is that Potter is remarkably resilient and powerful. Goris Granghorn even told this reporter that Potter stood alone against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his Death Eaters, in an attempt to delay the destruction of the village in time for the Auror forces to arrive.

"He showed no fear," said Granghorn. "Even after ten minutes under Cruciatus, Mr. Potter stood and managed to duel You-Know-Who. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Just looking at You-Know-Who caused me to shake uncontrollably and yet this young man didn't break for a moment."

Courage such as this is proof enough that there is hope yet for our world. Wizarding Britain once again raises their glasses to Harry Potter and thanks him for doing his best.

Harry tossed the Sunday edition of the Prophet aside lazily. He didn't really care anymore what they said about him, even though this was true. They could say what they want about him, but watch out if they ever included his friends in the lies and slander again. Though, to be fair, Rita didn't have that power anymore.

Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw all the glances he was attracting as the Hogwarts populus read the article and word spread of his latest exploit. He smiled slightly at this, if they believed the article it would show them that Voldemort wasn't all powerful, he wasn't immortal.

"Cruciatus for ten minutes...." muttered Ron, his eyes scanning the article quickly. "Jesus, Harry. You didn't tell us about that."

"That's an exaggeration," Harry said quickly.

Hermione placed a hand on his in comfort. "How long was it then?" she asked.

Harry sighed. "Eight minutes... maybe..." Hermione flinched and Neville visibly paled, he had felt the cruciatus for only a few seconds and it was an experience he wouldn't like to repeat. "I didn't feel it all of the time," Harry added quickly. "After a few minutes my magic sort of took over and pushed away the pain. One of those things I couldn't control but glad it happened, like the griffin."

Ginny blinked and looked into Harry's eyes, drawing his gaze to her. "Should that be happening, though?" she asked worriedly. No one could answer her question, too many troubling answers.

****

The first few days of the week past in a blur of training and high level magic for Harry. His training was intense every day and he found it very testing on his magic, which seemed more than happy to be used, never giving out. It was from physical exertion and not magical, that Harry's exhaustion came from.

There was a DA meeting on Tuesday night and as he had planned, it was successful. Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Luna were excellent teachers in their field and even Neville gained confidence after the first time he taught a new curse to the group of twenty fifth years he took. They revised the disarming charm and the Impediment jinx. Neville was soon in his element. Hermione left early, though, as she wanted to see her parents in the guest wing.

He and Ginny shared some close moments throughout the week. He couldn't deny his feelings for her any more than he could deny the awesome power that resided in him. His conversations with her and Dermas kept coming into his mind whenever he spoke to her and he knew she was more than willing to help. It was just the unbelievable risk involved in confiding in her, being with her. He hated himself and the world for it, but the unrelenting truth was that they were at war and Harry was at the head of it. The danger surrounding him was the worst there could be.

Though Voldemort had been quiet the past few days and that worried Harry. It was on Wednesday that Harry felt his first twinge of pain in his scar since the weekend, but that was it and after a few hours with no more Harry began to think he may have even imagined that. He hadn't....

****

It was on Friday morning that Harry woke up sick to his stomach. His dreams, no, his nightmares had been devastating, unrelenting, evil, but he couldn't remember them for the life of him as he sat in a cold sweat on his bed, the pale morning light illuminating the drapes.

Harry closed his eyes and pressed his aching scar, trying desperately to remember what had happened, he knew it had been something... there was fire and green light... death? Something cataclysmic had happened, Harry knew it.

His exercise that morning at five a.m. was hard as he was mentally exhausted from the nightmare he couldn't remember. The memory of it was just on the edge of his mind, but also just out of reach. Harry also felt slightly relieved that he didn't remember it, as he knew it had been bad, but if there was any chance he could save someone he knew he had to try and remember. But it was no good. After some brief sword training with Dermas, Harry walked back up to the castle for breakfast, but not feeling very hungry.

After entering the warm castle Harry walked into the Great Hall and saw that Ron and Hermione had just sat down as he had entered. Making his way unsteadily on his legs, Harry sat down opposite his best friends, attracting a few concerned looks from the students he passed.

"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione as she looked at him. "You look terrible. What happened?"

Harry offered a small smile but he knew he couldn't hide anything from Hermione. "Bad dreams..." he whispered, looking at her pointedly.

"What did you see?" asked Ron quietly as Ginny and Neville sat down next to Harry, immediately concerned as they took in Harry's sickly appearance.

Harry shook his head, wiping the cold sweat of his brow. A quick glance at the teacher's table told him that Dumbledore was absent, and that something wasn't right. He could feel it more in the atmosphere of the Hall. A storm was about to break. Even Snape looked uncharacteristically sad, regretful. "I don't know what I saw," he said nervously. "But it wasn't good...."

Harry picked at a piece of buttered toast, feeling in no way hungry as his friends cast worried glances his way and Ginny squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. After about ten minutes spent in silence the post owls descended on the now full Great Hall. The only person absent was Dumbledore, which Harry didn't take as a good sign. He looked up into the flurry of owls and didn't see any snowy white so turned back to the table.

The bird that delivered the Prophet to Hermione landed with a hoot and Hermione took the paper, offering the bird a rasher of bacon before it took flight again. Harry closed his eyes as his stomach did flips inside of him, making him retch slightly, as if he was going to be sick but it didn't happen. He placed a hand on his stomach and breathed in deeply, he was just about to go get a stomach settling potion from Madam Pomfrey when a series of shrill screams broke out in the Hall almost instantly.

One of these came from Hermione, and the others from a few people who had copies of the Prophet in their hands. Harry looked over to her instantly, just in time to see her pale considerably and to drop the paper numbly.

"Hermione," said Ron quickly, grasping her hand. "What...?"

"The paper...." she said quietly, desperately. Ron turned to grab the paper but Harry had beaten him to it and was reading the headline with a growing horror and realisation.

BEAUXBATONS ACADEMY DESTROYED

Special correspondent Marie Antilles reporting

The world woke to absolute terror this morning, as news came from the French Ministry during the night that the Dark Lord had attacked France with the destruction of the magical school, Beauxbatons Academy, located on the Mediterranean coast. Reports are sketchy at best but it is clear that the magical institution has been destroyed. No official death tolls are known but it is expected to be catastrophic, as the first sign of disturbance was several hundred Dark Marks, the symbol of You-Know-Who, floating in an eerily quiet green light over the remains of the once proud school.

Ancient wards protected the school, which was home to seven hundred and fifty six young wizards and witches in training and twenty two members of staff, but it would appear that not even they could withstand the power of the Dark Lord. The French Ministry has seen this as an open declaration of war, and has sworn to throw its full might behind the Ministry of the United Kingdom to help win the war against the Dark Lord.

This attack couldn't have come at a worse time, especially on the heels of the International Confederations decision that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is not a threat, merely an annoyance. The question now is: If this annoyance can destroy an institution as magically protected as Beauxbatons, then what could a real threat do?

Hundreds may have died at Beauxbatons, the first casualties of a now international war that may further engulf our magical world if steps are not taken to counter the problem now. The world has been giving a rough awakening with this attack... and how it responds will decide our future. More details will be reported in the Evening Prophet and over the WWN.

Harry reeled and barely finished the article before a torrent of unrealised memories broke through the binding in his mind and he relived the horror that was the destruction of Beauxbatons Academy. He saw Voldemort and a legion of Death Eaters break through the castle wards, some extremely advanced and powerful magic, and he saw the last defence of the teachers there. His mind flickered through a thousand devastating moments in an instant and Harry fell backwards from the table, his scar burning, as he saw the huge manor house that was Beauxbatons, explode in green flames. Voldemort stood victorious on the rubble, his wand aimed towards the sky, a stream of dark light shooting from it. His Dark Mark was soon joined by hundreds of others from the Death Eaters present, lighting the sky for miles around.

The first thing Harry saw when he opened his eyes was the concerned, strict face of Professor McGonagall. A second later he realised that he was lying on the floor of the Great Hall with several dozen faces looking down upon him. There was also a fluid in his right eye, he felt. He knew it must be blood from his scar. From the pain it had burst open once again.

"Bad dream..." he croaked, taking Ron's offered hand and pulling himself back up onto the long bench at the Gryffindor table. "Hundreds did die," he whispered, those near him deadly quiet as Harry stared at the copy of the Prophet, that was slightly stained red with his blood. "First years... teachers... house elves... all slaughtered," he finally coughed, accepting a goblet of pumpkin juice from Ginny.

After a moment in which Professor McGonagall shooed the crowd away, Harry spoke again. "Professor," he said, not realising he was holding onto Ginny's hand. "I-"

"I know, Harry," she said kindly, nervously. She was obviously uncertain as what to do in this situation. For use of a better phrase, it was beyond her. "I believe we should go see the Headmaster," she said with a shake. "Follow me, Harry."

Harry stood up with a groan and let go of Ginny's hand. His body protesting the movement, but he kept going. The eyes of every person in the Hall followed him silently on the way out and Harry was glad to leave them behind. McGonagall kept casting nervous glances at him as they walked and more than once she caught him as he stumbled.

The images of the destruction kept hitting Harry like a sledge hammer as he walked. Something new surfacing from the nightmare he had struggled so hard to remember, the Prophet article forcing it out of him brutally. He shuddered and sighed with a slight whimper, wiping the blood from his eye.

The staircase to Dumbledore's office was already raised as they arrived so McGonagall and Harry walked up slowly. At the top stair Harry saw the door was slightly ajar and McGonagall knocked once quickly to announce their arrival before pushing it open fully, walking in with Harry on tow. Dumbledore was talking to the head of Arthur Weasley in the fire and looked up the instant they entered.

"Minerva..." Dumbledore said tiredly. "It is worse than we-"

"Albus," McGonagall said sternly as Harry limped into view. Dumbledore's expression immediately turned to one of concern as he took in Harry's slumped form and bloody face.

"We will have to continue this another time, Arthur," Dumbledore said as the portraits around the room whispered to each other.

"Certainly, Headmaster," Mr. Weasley said and then turned his head in the fire. "Harry, are you okay?" he asked.

Harry looked into the green flames and saw the destruction of the Academy in them. He made to nod at Mr. Weasley, but stopped halfway through, looking away. Arthur gave one worried look to Dumbledore and then ended the floo call, his face disappearing as the flames died.

"Harry... you saw it?" asked Dumbledore, dreading and realistically already knowing the answer.

Harry did nod this time, before leaning silently against the wall, touching his bloody scar with a look of confusion upon his face that was actually a rough acceptance. He didn't miss the look between Dumbledore and McGonagall, though.

"Perhaps you would like to sit down?" asked Dumbledore gently as McGonagall steered him towards one of the armchairs near the fireplace that Dumbledore had just conjured. Harry didn't really have the energy to object, so he sat down with a sigh.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" asked the headmaster after a moment's silence.

Harry blinked and adjusted his glasses. "Tired..." he managed. "I think I'm gonna go ask Madam Pomfrey for a dreamless sleep potion." He made to stand up then but Dumbledore pushed him back down with a bit of force.

"We need to talk about this, Harry. How did it happen?"

Harry frowned. "Voldemort and several hundred Death Eaters took down the wards somehow and then proceeded to slaughter anything that moved. He then blew up the school and shot the Dark Mark into the air," Harry cracked his knuckles. "None were spared... I.. I don't know if anyone escaped?" A silent tear fell from his left eye.

"We have lost a powerful ally," Dumbledore said sadly. "More will now join Tom out of fear..." The Headmaster appeared to be musing to himself, but Harry heard him and that, coupled with his nightmares, made him angry and pushed him over the edge.

Where was Dumbledore's emotion? He had not shown any since Harry had entered. At least none Harry could see. Hundreds of lives had been viciously ended and yet Dumbledore was thinking more about how this affected the war than it did the people involved. It was too much, Harry lost it. He lashed out at Dumbledore, his anger blinding him to all else.

"HOW CAN YOU DO IT?" he shouted as Dumbledore blinked in surprise and McGonagall gasped. "You treat the world as if it's one big game. Christ, these are real people we are talking about. They had families, friends, lives..." Harry bit back an insult and closed his eyes heavily. "They had names... don't you care about the loss?" he finished weakly.

The Headmaster did care, but a life time of the horrors of the world and having to be at the head of the opposition fighting them had caused him to think in terms of the bigger picture. It was a sad reality and as Harry shouted Dumbledore's mind flicked to all those lost or destroyed in the many wars he had seen. When he replied to Harry he did so with the thoughts of a hundred years of loss in his mind.

"Of course I care," Dumbledore said, somewhat fiercely. "I care about the loss of

human lives all across this world, but I don't have time to remember all those whose fates where unavoidable. They chose to fight and, I know it sounds cold, but knew full well the risk." Dumbledore's eyes held no twinkle, but he looked as if he had aged many years in a few moments. "Whether they be Death Eaters or not I am concerned with the survival and freedom of our world. That always comes first. The individual may need to be sacrificed for the greater good."

Harry didn't say anything, didn't move, barely breathed through the anger. Those who knew him well would see from the dangerous glint in his eyes that he was absolutely furious. "Those at Beauxbatons didn't choose to fight," he said coldly, a shadow in his eyes. "I didn't choose to fight...."

With that Harry stood up with a new burst of strength and, ignoring Dumbledore's and McGonagall's calls, ran from the study and down the stairs he had walked up far too many times the past few months.

The sickness he had been feeling that morning had lessened as the shock of what had happened sunk in. It was terrible, horrendous, but it was true. It was definitely one of the darker things Harry had seen, but it had happened and he had promised to see this war through to the end. He had made a blood promise to stop it and he would give it his all until death claimed either him or Voldemort.

Harry walked back up to the common room through the empty corridors as everyone was now in classes. It had just turned nine so period one had just started. He didn't cry as he walked, that was a weakness that he could do without. He knew it was only going to get worse and he knew he had to stay strong. As soon as he thought this he knew that must be what Dumbledore was doing. He had to present to the world his strength, had to show the world that the side of light was not intimidated, didn't crumble under the brutal assault of one sadistic madman.

Harry knew what Dumbledore did was hard, he did it himself and the cost was almost unbearable. How long had Dumbledore been doing it? Fifty, sixty years? To appear strong and to give the world hope was the loneliest thing a person could do. He would apologise for his outburst to the headmaster later, what Dumbledore had said was truth, a dark, realistic version of it anyway.

Harry sank into an armchair by the fire and sighed with the exhaustion he almost always felt. It had become a lot more real now, he reflected. The world would realise the horror, they had to unite... they just had to. Closing his eyes, Harry rubbed his head and tried to force the headache out. It was pounding into him relentlessly, darkening his world. Right about now he should have been in Offensive magic with Thomas Fright. It didn't matter, he would be excused.

The images from Beauxbatons kept surfacing in his mind. They were so real it felt as if he had actually been there. A part of him had. "DAMN IT!" he shouted, throwing a small porcelain cup that he grabbed off of the table next to him at the wall. It, of course, smashed and broke into a hundred different pieces. He looked at it sadly and then with a wave of his hand repaired it and put it back on the table.

It was getting to him. The pain, anguish, murder, the immoral demon that was Voldemort. He was fused together with that creature and was forced to witness his most horrific acts, while Voldemort took a sick pleasure in them. All in the name of blood. IT'S NOT FAIR! He screamed in his mind, collapsing back into the armchair he had risen from a moment ago.

After struggling desperately for a moment with his memories, Harry tried relax. He was so alone, he was so cold, he was... lost. Too many times had he duelled with death and won, but at a great cost. Too many times he had witnessed the horror of war. It was all to real and there was no happy ending in sight. He was losing it again.

"HARRY!" shouted a familiar voice from the portrait hole.

Harry jumped up suddenly, the veil before his eyes falling away as Ginny came into view, her eyes held heartbreaking tears. She had seen the look of fear and horror upon Harry's face a moment ago. It had truly scared her, it wasn't the look of her Harry. It was something darker.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked quickly, grasping her by the shoulders. This seemed to be the wrong thing to say.

"For God's sake, Harry," she said quickly as tears fell. "Think about yourself for once. I'm fine. It's you who needs help."

Harry frowned and let go of her shoulders, turning away as she shook slightly with quiet sobs. He sighed with his headache and his thoughts drifted back to that of a moment ago. He realised he must have scared Ginny, scared her bad. He didn't want to do that.

"You're breaking, Harry," Ginny whispered.

Harry turned back to face her and smiled sadly, his eyes holding a sadness so deep. "It seems you're always there to catch me when I'm right on the edge, though."

Ginny sniffed and wiped her eyes and cheeks of tears. She pushed a loose strand of auburn hair back behind her ear and locked tear filled eyes with Harry. They were standing so close. "I've always been there for you, Harry," she said a little shakily. "I've always been there to catch you.... I think you only just realised that a week ago, though... up on the tower."

Harry blinked and his own emerald eyes filled with unshed tears. "I'm sorry," he breathed and then leaned in and caught her lips in his own.

*****